Reflection for July 12 Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 10:24-33

Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33

Jesus said to his Apostles: "No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master. 

If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household! "Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 

And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. 

Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father." 

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Reflection:

What does the modern world promote today? It promotes the idolatry of the passing things of this world. It entices us in many forms with the idolatry of money, lust, and power. It glorifies greed, hedonism, and arrogance. 

It seems that there is no more room for us to acknowledge, share, and live out the teachings of Jesus. It is heartbreaking to see that the teachings of Jesus often have no place in many of our hearts. What will we do about this? Will we simply stand on the sidelines and become silent witnesses to the moral decay of our society? 

Let us not remain silent. Let us rise and do something to share the teachings of Jesus with love and courage. Let us not fear persecution or hardship, for Jesus is with us every step of the way. May we always remember that we are pilgrims in this world, journeying toward our true home in His heavenly kingdom. 

Let us aspire for a place in heaven by courageously sharing the teachings of Jesus with others. And if we are not comfortable with preaching in words, let us find the courage to preach by the way we live. Let us use social media to spread the light of Jesus, sharing the faith and hope that He has entrusted to us. 

May we never forget that we are mere passersby in this temporary world. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and on the hope of our eternal home in heaven, where true joy, peace, and fulfillment await those who choose to follow Him faithfully. – Marino J. Dasmarinas